HEAL 8

I successfully resent the revised files to the client. As the tension eased, a wave of lethargy washed over my entire body. Sang-kyung leaned his head back against the chair. Should I close my eyes for just a moment? He hated the feeling of time slipping away inefficiently.

Using the noise of other team members trapped in the hell of overtime as a lullaby, Sang-kyung closed his eyes.

Suddenly, he heard light footsteps. Perhaps because he had noticed the sound, he felt as if someone was staring intently at him. It could have been some pitiful woman smitten with him, but because he had been constantly entangled with Yeon-su lately, Sang-kyung thought of him first.

Sleep vanished, and he opened his eyes. Just then, he heard the sound of something being placed on his desk.

“Are you awake?”

It was Yeon-su, as expected. Since Yeon-su had his back turned toward the desk the moment Sang-kyung opened his eyes, there was no way to know if he had actually been watching him.

A transparent plastic cup with condensation beading on its surface sat on the desk. Inside the cup was bright yellow lemonade with ice. When Sang-kyung looked up with a puzzled expression, Yeon-su’s faint smile deepened slightly.

“I guess you went out?”

“Yes. I know you like iced vanilla lattes, but I thought you might not be able to sleep if you had caffeine at this hour, so I just bought this on my own. Is it okay?”

“I’m thankful.”

Sang-kyung took a long sip of the lemonade. As the sweet and sour liquid entered his body, his hazy mind snapped awake.

“…I can assume you do this for all your teammates, right?”

He should have checked before drinking it. When he thought about the strange suggestion, it would be foolish not to realize Yeon-su’s interest. Even though the man had a partner.

“Of course.”

As Yeon-su answered, his expression blurred as if that weren’t the case. But this was enough. If he couldn’t draw the line, Sang-kyung would draw it himself.

However, it bothered him that Yeon-su was making mistakes, unlike his usual self. He wondered if he was the cause shaking Yeon-su’s heart. After all, he had been Yeon-su’s mentor.

“Shall we talk on the rooftop for a bit until the email comes? I think it’ll take some time for them to check the files over there.”

Sang-kyung gestured toward the monitor with his chin. In that instant, he saw the gloomy shadow covering Yeon-su’s face lift. Sang-kyung gave a bitter smile.

“Don’t get your hopes up. It probably won’t be something you’ll enjoy hearing, Yeon-su.”

Sang-kyung intended to state flatly that he was not gay.

Yeon-su simply nodded at Sang-kyung’s warning. Holding the lemonade, Sang-kyung stood up and crossed the office. He felt a presence moving behind him.

The elevator was stopped on the first floor. It meant someone had left the company. When on earth do I get to go home… With a sigh, Sang-kyung pressed the button to go up.

“You’re making mistakes you don’t usually make.”

“I’m sorry.”

“In the future, don’t just delete files because you compressed them. Errors can happen during the compression process. If they hadn’t opened, really—getting the password wrong isn’t a huge mistake, but deleting the files is something you should be scolded for more.”

“I will be careful.”

Did he push him too hard? Sang-kyung cleared his throat.

“Still, the password was cute. There are guys who put passwords on company laptops and use them like their own. Sometimes you have to know the password when someone puts important files in and takes annual leave… I’ve seen guys use curses or sex jokes, so don’t waste your time guessing those.”

“Yes…”

“Nyang-nyang.”

“It’s a password I made when I was young. It just became a habit, so I keep using it. I don’t make passwords like that anymore.”

Yeon-su avoided eye contact, fidgeting with his earlobe. A chuckle escaped Sang-kyung’s lips. Since he was still using that password, it was ultimately a meaningless excuse.

Just then, with a ding, the elevator arrived.

“I can’t even tease you because I’m afraid your face will explode.”

Yeon-su, covering his cheeks with his hands, followed Sang-kyung into the elevator. Whether his hands were large or his head was small, everything but his eyes was covered.

From the top floor to the rooftop, they had to climb more stairs. The chilly night air greeted them. Sang-kyung stepped outside first, still unable to wipe the amusement from his face. Yeon-su followed a bit behind, as if trying to cool his flushed cheeks.

“Want me to recommend your next password? How about ‘Yeon-su-woof-woof’?”

“…….”

Look at this, not even answering now? Doesn’t Yeon-su suit a puppy better than a cat?

It happened then. Yeon-su’s hand suddenly covered his vision and pulled him toward himself. What the hell is this crazy guy thinking? Surely not at the company?

“Yeon-su, calm down.”

Sang-kyung struggled. However, a force much stronger than expected overwhelmed him. It wasn’t a full-strength resistance, nor was it a threatening pressure. But for Sang-kyung, a robust man, the situation itself was alien.

“Please be quiet.”

“Are you crazy? Would you stay still if it were you, Yeon-su?”

When he raised his voice, the hand finally let go. With the corners of his eyes drooping, Yeon-su looked pitiful. But to Sang-kyung, who had felt the sensation of someone lunging at him for the first time, it all looked like an act. Sang-kyung pushed Yeon-su’s shoulder hard.

“You’re out of your mind. I’m truly disappointed.”

Startled by the sudden situation, Sang-kyung’s chest heaved rapidly.

“No, Assistant Manager Kang. It’s not like that…”

“If it’s not that, then what is it?”

Yeon-su’s lips parted as if to explain something, but in the end, he couldn’t utter a word. Sang-kyung felt even that look was a deception and turned around. Then, he came face-to-face with a familiar face.

“I’ve thought this for a while, but this Assistant is tight-lipped.”

Lips with slightly smudged lipstick, disheveled long hair. A citrusy perfume wafted through the breeze.

It was Ji-yeon. A familiar man was standing behind her. In that moment, Sang-kyung instinctively realized what Yeon-su had been trying to hide.

Holy shit! What the fuck are you doing at the company?

Sang-kyung swallowed the words that were about to burst out. Since he himself had enjoyed deviations with a partner, he was in no position to give advice.

“Sang-kyung, you know, right?”

Know what? However, he had an ominous feeling that if it was Ji-yeon, she might have some kind of leverage over him.

“I really don’t know what goes through your head when you live your life.”

Sang-kyung pressed his temples. Ji-yeon smiled suggestively.

“Are you in a position to say that? You like this kind of thing too.”

Is this something to say in front of her current partner? If it were her, she might be enjoying this as a thrill as well. He shouldn’t have fallen for the devil’s temptation…

“Forget it. Let’s not talk.”

Sang-kyung grabbed Yeon-su’s wrist and turned around. He retraced the path they had just walked.

While descending the stairs, Sang-kyung did not let go of Yeon-su’s wrist. The bone structure caught in his grip was firm. He suddenly recalled the wrists he had held until now. The delicate and soft sensation. It clearly imprinted on him the fact that the person he was currently holding was a man entirely different from those he had met before.

Once they boarded the elevator and the doors closed, he finally had the leisure to reflect on the situation. Yeon-su didn’t even attempt to pull his wrist away, only staring down at the floor. Realizing his mistake, Sang-kyung loosened his grip.

Sang-kyung didn’t know how to start speaking. An excuse about Ji-yeon? Or an apology for his misunderstanding? No, but he’s not a child—did he really have to block a kissing scene like that? Surprisingly, it was Yeon-su who spoke first.

“…Did you two fight?”

“Why would I fight with her?”

“Weren’t you disappointed?”

“Why would I be disappointed now? She’s always been that kind of person.”

Still, he felt like smoking again after having quit. The lemonade smelled similar to the scent wafting from Ji-yeon, but the drink was innocent. Sang-kyung sucked on the lemonade through the straw and chewed on the end of it.

That lunatic is still doing office romances without getting tired of it. What if the current boyfriend brings personal feelings into work for no reason? Didn’t Ji-yeon’s comment imply too much about something that happened between them in the past? He’s seen that face somewhere, but which team is he from?

The elevator doors opened, and the lights of the familiar office space came into view. He didn’t enter the office immediately. He kept thinking about Ji-yeon’s partner. He was someone he had passed by, either in a company messenger profile picture or at a company dinner.

The fact that his memory was fuzzy meant he was someone who had joined recently. Although he had the title of Assistant, he was closer to a rookie than Sang-kyung, so Yeon-su might know him.

“Do you know who the man with Assistant Manager Kim was?”

For some reason, Yeon-su hesitated, glancing at him cautiously.

“It was Employee Han Jae-ha.”

“Really?”

“He’s in the HR team.”

“So he’s on the same team as Assistant Manager Kim.”

Sang-kyung pulled the frayed straw out of the cup and tossed it into the trash can. After removing the lid and crunching the ice, he felt wide awake.

How long has it been since they broke up for her to already have another man? He had a feeling it was definitely a rebound. In the worst-case scenario, it was an affair.

But perhaps because he had been embroiled in something even more shocking? He wasn’t as angry as expected.

He certainly liked stimulating things. Ji-yeon was the same.

When he was faced with an absurd demand, he should have dumped her immediately, but he had been swept along. Ji-yeon’s demand was merely the fuse; it was he who had moved to satisfy a new curiosity while avoiding her.

Developing the back wasn’t something to be ashamed of. However, the fact that his ex-girlfriend had eyed a different part of him rather than his perfectly functioning parts was certainly a turn-off of a proposal. Nevertheless, he had been interested in the act itself.

Sang-kyung chewed and swallowed the last piece of ice remaining in his mouth. He tossed the empty cup into the trash and turned toward Yeon-su, who had been waiting for him in silence.

Yeon-su, who had nothing to do with this, had been caught up in his messy love life, shrugging his shoulders and glancing at Sang-kyung’s expression. It was a relief that neither of them were on the same team as Ji-yeon. The poor Hubae’s back had almost exploded.

“Um… were you hurt?”

Suddenly, Sang-kyung realized. Yeon-su already knew that he and Ji-yeon had dated. Also, he might look like someone who had been discarded.

Sigh… my pride is completely dead in front of my Hubae.

Sang-kyung twisted his lips. He would definitely make a partner who was more successful than Kim Ji-yeon.